MASS Design Wins Competition to Replace Robert E. Lee Statue in Charlottesville
The proposal 'Rooted' by MASS Design Group has been chosen to take the place of the Robert E. Lee Confederate statue in Charlottesville, Virginia. This announcement from the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center aligns with the fifth anniversary of the statue's removal. The design will convert the melted bronze from the Lee statue into a 27-foot-tall Baobab tree, aimed at encouraging community interaction. A public voting process that started in March saw 64% of participants selecting it as their top choice. Collaborating with figurative sculptor Dana King, MASS is part of the Swords into Plowshares initiative, following a decade of challenges since the 2017 Unite the Right rally. The statue was taken down in 2021, and its bronze was melted in 2023. Jha D Amazi, principal of MASS's Public Memory and Memorials Lab, highlighted the idea's connection to the resilience of the Black community. King hopes the park will serve as a venue for joy and unity.
Key facts
- MASS Design Group won the competition to replace the Robert E. Lee statue in Charlottesville, Virginia.
- The design, called Rooted, will use the melted bronze of the Lee statue to create a 27-foot-tall Baobab tree.
- The announcement was made by the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center.
- The announcement coincides with the fifth anniversary of the statue's removal in 2021.
- MASS beat out Hood Design Studio and PUSH in the design competition.
- The public voting process began in March, with 64% of voters selecting Rooted as their first choice.
- Figurative sculptor Dana King collaborated with MASS on the sculpture.
- The bronze was melted down in 2023 for reuse in the new sculpture.
Entities
Artists
- Dana King
- Jha D Amazi
Institutions
- Jefferson School African American Heritage Center
- MASS Design Group
- Hood Design Studio
- PUSH
- MASS Public Memory and Memorials Lab
Locations
- Charlottesville
- Virginia
- Market Street Park